The Revival Of Veronica Mars and Its Prospects

The Veronica Mars train hasn’t derailed, next stop ‘Hulu’. The enormously acclaimed noir teen mystery that has been missing from our screens since 2007 is all set for a revival. UPN, the shows original home shut shop before the show aired its 3rd season. Later, CW, UPN’s successor inherited Mars, and on the same network the show, prematurely breathed its last. The show was never elevated above the reputation of a red-haired step-child by The CW. Despite bringing in Saturn and Satellite accolades, along with Teen Choice nominations the show was dropped by the network. Consequently, a film sequel was planned but Warner Bros refrained from funding the project. The film was; however, released in 2014 and fared decently at the box office.

The planned “Veronica Mars” revival has officially been picked up at Hulu. The series, which will see the return of Kristen Bell as the title character, will consist of 8 episodes and is slated to debut in 2019. Bell made the official announcement Thursday on Instagram. News of the revival first broke in August. As part of the deal, Hulu has also struck an agreement with Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution for the SVOD rights to all past episodes of the original series. Seasons 1-3, as well as the 2014 feature film, will be available to stream next summer.

The upcoming season is tied up with a central plot, in ways similar to season 1 and 2. In the upcoming season, there is a killer (or probably killers) on the loose who are taking down tourists at the fantasy town Neptune. As the seaside town greatly relies on its tertiary industry for revenue, the dire circumstances have generated an alarming situation. Amidst these dire circumstances, Veronica will be summoned by bereaved parents lamenting the loss of their son. Circumstances will mire Mars into an ionosphere of political and aristocratic malaise. While the show will depict Veronica’s adventures as she faces off internal and external threats in her quest for justice.

Will This Benefit Hulu?

Veronica Mars could not have asked for a better streaming service than Hulu. Nor could have Hulu picked a better show to strengthen its line-up as an emerging brand. Mars will be another edition to Hulu’s league of feminist toned shows which presently includes the cult dystopian The Handmaid’s Tale. Hulu has walked into the Emmys only for its largely critically acclaimed The Handmaid’s Tale. Its remaining shows haven’t really made a mark. Veronica Mars has the kind of history of critical discernment that Hulu needs for its branding. The show carries a youthful spirit, and its devoted fans will be drawn towards the streaming service.

How Will the Show Fare?

As for the shows, things look equally positive too. First of all, it has retrieved its original producer: Warner Bros. Since it was originally a CW show that attracted youth, its revival sure will create a hype. And, this excess popularity will book a massive audience base for the show at least for a first few episodes. Lead star Kristen Bell, who currently stars in The Good Place, has been brought back for the show. She has maintained a decent fan following for her role of Eleanor in the NBC afterlife sitcom. So her fans too will tune into the show for the sake of their favorite star.

Expectations From the Show

One thing is for sure, the show will be much more intense than what it was before. There will be mature sequences as now the show has dropped the word ‘teen’ from its massive genre list. The answer to the question as if which previous actors will join Bell in the show’s revival is still ambiguous. Since the show can no longer be about an average student who informally moonlights, we can only expect a few characters to be retained. A complete revamp will obviously not harm the show considering the numbers of years that have passed by since the show last aired. The show will still have o respect the intrinsic essence of the original product.

Syed Fahadullah Hussaini is Dankanator’s TV critic and reporter. Fahad has written for platforms including Parhlo, Wonderful Engineering and Mangobaaz. Fahad’s work has also appeared on Dawn’s Young World, and on several Paparazzi issues.

Fahad views TV as a resource rather than a medium. Laden richly with an extensive medley of ideas, cultures, facts, and fables. The writer taps on TV’s new and returning presentations, and channels out every bit of news related to them, along with objectively (and subjectively) analyzing their substance.

Fahad is currently working on a short-stories collection, ‘Seven Colors Of Life’, which shall soon be available on his blog.